Vets get a VA clinic in Honesdale

Veterans, along with officials from Wayne Memorial Hospital, the Veterans Administration (VA), the state and the county, last Thursday celebrated a new VA clinic to open in Honesdale sometime in spring.

TRR photo by David Hulse

By David Hulse
March 12, 2014 —

HONESDALE, PA — Concluding a seven-year effort, county, state and federal officials came together at the March 6 meeting of the Wayne County Commissioners to celebrate the upcoming opening of a Veterans’ Administration (VA) clinic in the Stourbridge Mall satellite of Wayne Memorial Hospital.

The new clinic will be providing basic VA medical services locally, eliminating the need for veterans to travel routinely to the Wilkes-Barre VA Hospital.

Veterans’ spokesman Mike O’Hara recalled the years of effort required to bring the clinic to fruition, especially noting the work of Bernie Harvey, who died in 2012. O’Hara left a chair open at the speaker’s table in Harvey’s honor.

O’Hara also credited former commissioner Tony Herzog for his work in getting the clinic approved.

“I’m so excited that this day has come,” said David Hoff, Wayne Memorial CEO.

Jeffrey Beiler, interim director at the Wilkes-Barre VA Hospital said, “We have a unique opportunity every day to serve those who served, and we need you to spread the word. We want to provide services.”

State Sen. Lisa Baker recalled the first request coming to her seven years earlier. She said the veterans’ persistence was “just like the battlefield. They wouldn’t give up or leave anyone behind.”

Commissioner Wendell Kay noted the unusual concurrence of local, state and federal officials at the meeting and commented that “This is the way democracy is supposed to work.”